Researchers at security firm Kaspersky Lab have discovered a virus that can infect Apple’s popular portable media player, the iPod. But users do not have to scramble for protection just yet. The virus would only affect players that run Linux instead of the iPod’s native operating system.

Currently, Linux-fueled iPods are a very small minority because they require users to do the system swap. The malicious program, called Podloso, might not present a real threat, but Kaspersky noted that it does demonstrate that it is theoretically possible to create malicious programs for devices such as the iPod.

Podloso is a typical “proof-of-concept” virus, which is created in order to demonstrate that it is possible to infect a specific platform. Although some users might find it odd that security researchers would ever whip up a virus, the type of concept code developed by Kaspersky is very common, and considered a preventative measure against future threats.

When movies shifted from videocassettes to DVD, retailers simply cleared the tapes off the shelves to make room for discs. That’s not so easy now that movies appear poised to follow music onto the Internet.

The shift of music online has hurt stores such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Circuit City, and some retailers are looking to avoid a repeat with movies. Wal-Mart has launched its own movie download service, Best Buy is said to be in talks to start one, and Blockbuster explored buying movie download company Movielink earlier this year.

Music and DVDs are important to retailers because they’ve traditionally driven customers to stores. Each week’s new releases give people a reason to come back. And for electronics retailers such as Best Buy Co. Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc., discs are often a cheap impulse sale, unlike a pricey computer or TV.

With an official YouGov survey in the UK finding that one in 10 Internet users is a victim of some form of online fraud, security experts are warning that online fraud — from phishing to identity theft — can strike any user, regardless of the operating system.

One in 10 Internet users in the United Kingdom was a victim of online fraud last year, according to an official survey of 2,400 people, who were asked about their online surfing habits, level of security protection, and encounters with fraud and theft.
Approximately 6 percent had been hit by fraud while shopping online, 4 percent saw “general fraud,” and 3 percent were victims of crime related to banking and credit cards.

The survey was done by YouGov for Get Safe Online, a group created by law enforcement, private companies, and the government. One of the most notable aspects of the project was the discovery that many users did not take basic steps to protect themselves online, such as installing antispyware software.

About one-fifth of those surveyed said they had replied to spam messages, and 10 percent had clicked on a Web site link within a spam e-mail. About 25 percent said most of their online security passwords were the same, and five percent used the same password for every site.

While Patch Tuesday came and went with Microsoft deploying no critical security updates, Microsoft didn’t leave I.T. admins sitting on their hands. Redmond released a new version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool and several other software updates.

Apple, meanwhile, released a slew of patches for Mac OS X to plug 45 holes, including several zero-day vulnerabilities.

If Microsoft ’s monthly Patch Tuesday failed to grab I.T.’s attention, Apple Computer added some excitement to the security world on the notorious day.
Microsoft typically releases security fixes the second Tuesday of each month. For the first time in 18 months, however, Microsoft canceled its scheduled security update, despite at least five zero-day software vulnerabilities that leave a back door open to hackers.

A Microsoft spokesperson said the company needed more time to develop fixes for known flaws and is continuing to investigate potential and existing vulnerabilities.

“Creating security updates that effectively and comprehensively fix vulnerabilities is an extensive process involving a series of sequential steps,” said the spokesperson. “All updates need to meet testing standards in order to be released. This ensures that our customers can confidently install these updates in their environment.”

Google Inc., fighting to consolidate its trademark globally, faces an obstacle in the world’s second largest Web market — China’s www.Gmail.cn, which is refusing to sell its Internet address to the U.S. giant.

A legal source told Reuters on Monday that Google was trying to buy the Internet domain name www.gmail.cn, which is run by Beijing-based ISM Technologies.

The name closely resembles Google’s internationally known email service, www.gmail.com, and the colors in which the two logos are written are similar. The “.cn” suffix is commonly used for Chinese domain names.

Google recently began offering free Gmail accounts in China to promote its brand among local users.

“Google has contacted Gmail.cn about the Web address and logo issue, but there is no progress so far,” said a legal source in Shanghai familiar with the situation.